1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to ventilation of a structure and more particularly to an improved collapsible air vent closure for a structure such as a recreational vehicle, boat or the like.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ventilation is the process of supplying or removing air by mechanical or natural means to a structure. This process is required for the removal of such impurities as products of human respiration and perspiration as well as gaseous products of combustion from stoves, combustion heaters and the like. Although carbon monoxide contents of 1% or more in the air are not harmful, somewhat higher levels of carbon monoxide present significant health hazards to occupants of enclosed structures.
Natural ventilation is the result of wind action. A slight positive pressure is developed on the windward side of a structure relative to the pressure on the leeward side. Recreational and other vehicles contain air vent openings to facilitate the entry of fresh air into the vehicle. These openings are typically located on a top horizontal surface and on side vertical surfaces. Since the action of the wind is variable being dependent upon wind speed and direction as well as vehicle speed and direction relative to the wind, the control of the amount of air admitted to a structure or a vehicle presents a problem to those skilled in the art. Another problem associated with establishing and maintaining ventilation in a structure is the intrusion of precipitation by means of the air ventilation flow path.
Various types of air vent devices have been used by the prior art for venting and/or circulating air. The air vent devices of the prior art are found in building structures, boats, airplanes, land vehicles and the like. Many of the air vent devices of the prior art were located in a roof of a recreational vehicle, boat or the like.
The typical air vent device located in a roof of a recreational vehicle, boat or the like comprised a frame having a frame aperture. A screen was located within the frame aperture for ventilating the recreational vehicle, boat or the like. A closure was pivotably attached to the frame for movement between an open and a closed position.
When the closure was in the closed position, the closure was moved to be generally parallel to the roof of the recreational vehicle, boat or the like to close the frame aperture. When the closure was in the open position, the closure was angularly disposed relative to the roof of the recreational vehicle, boat or the like to open the frame aperture. Unfortunately, the closure had to be closed during inclement weather to avoid precipitation form entering the recreational vehicle, boat or the like.
To overcome the requirement of closing the closure during inclement weather, some in the prior art have provided air vent covers for covering the air vent device located in the roof of the recreational vehicle, boat or the like. Several air vent covers are shown in the following United States Patents.
U.S. Pat. No. 787,997 to R. Taylor et al. discloses a diffusion box having a flange adapted to be secured in position within the wall or other part of a car. An inner plate or door has return ends pivotally connected at its lower portion to the box. A series of recesses or depressions are located in an edge of one of the ends. A flat metal spring has one end secured to the upper portion of the box. The other end of the flat metal spring projects to cooperate with the recesses or depressions in the end portion of the plate or door.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,944,321 to W. L. C. Huxter discloses and automatic ventilator for exhausting foul air from vehicles comprising an upstanding stack adapted for mounting upon the vehicle and provided with an air passage communicating with the interior of the vehicle. A hood is pivotally mounted upon the stack and includes a cap portion normally seatable upon the top edge of the stack to close the air passage therethrough. A vane portion is associated with the cap portion and is disposed with respect to the normal wind of motion of the vehicle to be shiftable rearwardly by the impact of the air through which the vehicle moves and to effect to unseating of the cap portion with respect to this stack when the vehicle is in motion.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,460,604 to B. B. Simcox discloses a ventilator adapted to be tensionally and rotatably held in a circular hole in an enclosing wall of a vehicle. A cylindrical portion of flexible material has an outside dimension which is slightly larger than the hole in the vehicle wall and has a cut away portion extending from its inner end towards its outer end so that the inner end of the cylindrical portion can become pressed for insertion into the hole. A cap member closes the outer end of the cylindrical portion and has portions thereof extending outwardly beyond the outer surface of the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member has means projecting outwardly from its inner end for normally preventing the ventilator for moving entirely out of the hole. The cylindrical member has a projection intermediate its inner end and its exterior surface to prevent inward or out word movement of the ventilator relative to the enclosing wall except when the cylindrical member is compressed.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,383 to L. L. Perry et al. discloses an operating roof vent of plastic such as translucent resin for mounting in a vent opening of a roof. An inner one piece combination screen and garnish member telescopically mates with an outer one piece cowl member. A combination one piece cover and hinge closes the cowl member, with the hinge being secured to the cowl member to provide for swinging opening and closing of the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,038,911 to A. C. Hart discloses a multi-directional vent for the ventilation opening of a vehicle including a vent frame having a vent cover pivoted at its front side to the frame and having an air intake opening in the front of the vent cover. A door is pivoted to the vent cover to selectively close or open the vent cover intake opening. Gear and bell crank operators are provided to pivot the cover about its hinge connection to the frame and to pivot the door about its hinge connection to the cover. The frame is screened and the operators extend through the screen to enable operation from inside the vehicle. With the door open and the vent cover closed a conventional scoop type operation is provided. With the door closed and the vent cover open a conventional pivoted ventilation operation is provided. With both the door and vent cover open ventilation is provided in all directions when the vehicle is at rest, and when in motion a venturi effect is achieved to extract air from the interior of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,615,263 to C. W. Titterud discloses a dry vent permiting ventilation of motor homes, travel trailers, or the like, while blocking entrance of rain and small animals through the ventilation duct. The dry vent hereof is especially designed for installation on existing ceiling ports, without modification of the port or the port cover. The dry vent includes a pair of opposed water-blocking sidewalls interconnected by a front structure comprising a pair of spaced apart louvres that define an inwardly, upwardly directed air passing channel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,769 to S. A. Milks discloses a power roof vent fan assembly having a motor and fan mounted in a body spanning an opening in the roof of an enclosure. The motor is mounted in H-shaped cross brace assembly having reinforcing ribs for vibration dampening. A shroud is secured to the body which supports a screen and includes a trim flange which forms a pocket in conjunction with the body. A bezel is telescopically received within the pocket and secured to the lower surface of the roof. A cover is provided over the top end of the assembly which is hinged on one end and adapted to be opened and closed by a cover lifting mechanism located within the pocket. The fan motor is controlled by a speed control switch located within the pocket. The pocket in which the switch is retained includes ventilation openings for aiding heat dissipation from the switch.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,047 to M. Citron discloses a ventilator door and fan control assembly for use with a range hood which for use in a recreational vehicle wherein there is a plate associated with said ventilation door to open and close the door that is activated by a cable controlled by an operator handle mounted on the range hood within a switch holder and guide. The operator handle and the switch holder and guide are adapted to receive a conventional fan switch and simultaneously activate or deactivate a fan with the opening or closing of the ventilator door.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,425 to T. A. Kelly discloses a hingeless ventilator having a frame attachable to a wall of a compartment about an aperture therein, an opening in the frame alignable with the aperture. A closure member is swingable against a side of the frame for opening and closing the opening. A guide members is fixed to and instanding from an opposite side of the frame beyond opposite ends of the opening. A spring rod mounting is located on opposite ends composite rollers riding on the guide members and connected under tension to the closure member for selectively positioning the closure member relative to the frame. Each of the roller assemblies has an antifriction bushing journalled on the spring rod and in and bonded to an elastomeric collar engaging an adjoining guide member.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,377 to P. J. Mochel et al. discloses a recreational vehicle vent with a streamlined body having a forward fixed riser and a movable cover which, when closed, forms a smooth continuous aerodynamic surface together with the fixed riser. The cover is movably mounted to the vent frame by means of a pair of transversely extending crossed links at the front and a second independent pair of transversely extending crossed links at the back. The two link pairs are independently operated by geared actuators so that either the front of the cover or the back of the cover can be independently lifted or both can be lifted together.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,374,215 to B. D. Crider et al. discloses a vent cover for vehicles equipped with roof vents raisable and lowerable from within the vehicle by rotating a crank. The cover includes a dome formed by a top wall, sidewalls that depend from the top wall, and a venturi cone member secured to an underside of the top wall. A vent base mounted to the roof of the vehicle has upstanding sidewalls so that air molecules exiting the vehicle must flow upwardly to pass over the top of the sidewalls and then downwardly to enter the atmosphere external to the vehicle. The air molecules are forced to flow downwardly after they have passed over the top of the vent base sidewalls by the sidewalls that depend from the top wall of the dome. The cooperative shape of the venturi cone member, the walls that depend from the top wall of the dome, and the upstanding sidewalls of the vent base creates a constricted area above the upstanding sidewalls where upwardly flowing air molecules must change their path of travel to flow downwardly. The constriction forces the air molecules to flow at a high rate of speed, creating a venturi effect that efficiently pulls stale air, smoke, fumes, and the like out of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,791 to J. T. Humphrey et al. discloses a vented window assembly for any manner of vehicle or vessel. The window assembly has a unitary piece of glass with an opening defined therein. A vent assembly is mounted in the opening and is sealingly engaged with the glass. The vent assembly includes an operable vent which is selectively positioned between an opened position and a closed position. The vent is rotatable relative to the glass so that the vent can act as a forced air or exhaust vent.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,972 to P. D. Van Belle discloses a roof fixture for ventilating and illuminating the interior space of the vehicle or boat. The fixture includes a blower mounted over a ventilating opening in the roof. An outer cover is mounted to the exterior of the roof over the blower, thereby protecting the fixture and the interior of the vehicle from the elements. A mounting plate is attached to the interior of the roof over the ventilating opening. The central portion of the plate includes a plurality of exhaust openings and a recessed area which receives a lamp for illuminating the interior space. A plurality of damper flaps are attached to the exterior side of the plate, each flap overlying an exhaust opening. When the blower is on, the flaps lift upwardly to permit air flow from the interior space of the vehicle, through the exhaust openings, and out a vented portion of the cover.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,068,551 to G. A. Oremland discloses a trunk ventilating device that operates to elevate or reduce the temperature of the vehicle trunk or trunk-like area. The device will accommodate a conventional rear deck of an automobile and provides a sealing aspect between the occupant area and the trunk area with the use of louvers that are made operational upon demand by the vehicle operator. The vehicle operator may initiate a dash mounted control switch that operates a high speed fan capable of drawing air from the occupants seating area into the otherwise sealed trunk area providing the proposed temperature elevation or reduction. Louvers are gravity or spring biased. It includes an aperture covering so as to prevent items from entering the trunk or engaging the rotating fan. A separate embodiment encompasses the use of a remotely located fan for areas lacking a definable trunk area for the purpose of transferring conditioned air from one part of the vehicle to another. Transfer duct includes a fan without louvers for purposes of pushing conditioned air, such as from the foot well of the occupant's area to an otherwise unconditioned portion of the rear of the vehicle in either a temporary or permanent fashion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,106,385 to J. T. Humphrey et al. discloses a vent assembly for any manner of vehicle or vessel. The vent assembly includes a vent which is operable between selective open positions and a closed position. The vent is rotatable relative to a panel through which the vent is disposed so that the vent can act as a forced air vent or exhaust vent.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,468,147 to M. D. Thomas discloses a vent cap cover for a recreational vehicle which allows for dry air entry during rainy conditions. The vent cap cover allows easy observation of the vent cap and maximum air and light availability. Easy maintenance, cleaning and repairs of the vent cap from the exterior of the RV is possible by simply opening the upper, transparent section of the vent cap cover.
The air vent covers solved the requirement of closing the closure of an air vent device during inclement weather to avoid precipitation form entering the recreational vehicle, boat or the like. Unfortunately, these air vent covers provided a large profile extending upwardly from the roof of the recreational vehicle, boat or the like.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved collapsible air vent closure that overcomes the problems of the prior art and provides a significant advantage to the ventilating art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved collapsible air vent closure having a closure that may remain open during inclement weather to avoid precipitation form entering the recreational vehicle, boat or the like.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved collapsible air vent closure having a closure that may be moved to be generally parallel to the roof of the recreational vehicle, boat or the like to close the frame aperture when the closure was in the closed position.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved collapsible air vent closure that presents a lower profile, a lower overall height and less wind resistance in the closed position than the non-collapsible air vents of the prior art.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved collapsible air vent closure that is easy to install by an unskilled operator.
Another object of this invention is to provide an improved collapsible air vent closure that is economical to purchase and install.
The foregoing has outlined some of the more pertinent objects of the present invention. These objects should be construed as being merely illustrative of some of the more prominent features and applications of the invention. Many other beneficial results can be obtained by modifying the invention within the scope of the invention. Accordingly other objects in a full understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the summary of the invention, the detailed description describing the preferred embodiment in addition to the scope of the invention defined by the claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.